Record keeping apparatus



.N 4- A. c. WHITMER RECORD KEEPING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 7, 1943 ALBER QWHITMER,

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Patented Nov. 14, 1944 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE a 2,362,788 4 I A RECORD KEEPING APPARATU Albert C. Whitmer, Columbus, Ohio Application Aug ust 7, 1943, Serial N0. 497,775

6* Claims.

Thisinvention relates to record keeping apparatus of the type shown in Patent No. 1,801,909

'to T.'J. Driscoll, dated April 21, 1931, in which are, entered in a single opa plurality of records eration. c I

Apparatus of this type is frequently employed by commercial establishments to make permanent records of their transactionson ledger cards and statement sheets which are sent to the customers either with the goods or at billing periods. using prior devices of this character, the operator was required to employ both hands, one to hold ,the statement sheet and the other to hold the pen .or other writing instrument with which the recordingwas made. Not infrequentl the operators permitted the statement sheets to move during the entry making operation with the result of producing erroneous or improperly placed records on the ledger cards or other underlying sheets. I

One of the main objects of this invention resides in the provision of a record keeping device of the aforementioned type having means for holding, the sheets in proper order so that the ob- .jection set forth above will be avoided and the operator will have one hand'free to perform some other service. I

, 1 Prior devices were also objectionable due to the .fact that the carbon paper positioned between the various record-receiving sheets would become :worn and ineflicient. It is, therefore, another ob- ".l'ect of this invention to provide means for mov ingthe carbon paper to present afresh unused area for eachrecording to the end that clear, accurate records will be produced.

A further object rests in so forming the carbon :paper moving means that only a slight degree of movement will take place at one time and thus only that amount of carbonpaper which is absolutely necessary for best results will be utilized. 7 A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of cooperative sheet clamping and .carbon :paper movingmeans by which the operation of moving the carbon paper will be performed automatically upon the movement of theclamp- .ing meansaway from a sheet positioned in the apparatus, no attention of the operator to the 5 carbon paper being required other than the re .moval of the. used and the insertion of the new paper.

' Another object of the invention rests in the provision of means for renderingthe carbon paper moving device inoperative, this means also serving to facilitate the insertion-of a fresh supply v 10f carbon paper.

Still further objects the following'description and the accompanying will be made apparent by.

drawing in which a record keeping device formed in accordance with the present invention has been disclosed in detail.

In thedrawing:

Fig. 1 is a. perspectiveview of a record keeping I device formed in accordance with the present invention; s

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line IIII Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on a different plane and looking in the opposite direction.

Referringmore particularly to the drawing, the

numeral l designates the device in its entirety.

This device includes a base or support 2 formed from wood or other suitable material. It constitutes a flat rectangular plate, one longitudinal edge of which is notched as at 3. The under surface of the support has a plurality of feet 4 secured thereto adjacentthe ends, the feet being 'formedof a resilient material to avoid scratching surfaces on which the device may be placed. The

feet also serve to space the under surfaceof the support from tables, counters or desks on which it may be positioned to prevent apparatus projecting from the under surface from engaging the supporting surfaces.

On the upper side of the support 2, a plurality of plates or sheet-guiding devices are secured,

these platesor devices being arranged in superposed relation and'spaced' from one another to provide a pocket 5 for the reception of a ledger card. The lowermost plate 6 directly engages the upper surface of the support and constitutes a smooth backing for the ledger cards positioned in the pocket 5. The edge of this plate is notched in registration with the notch 3 in the support so that when a ledger card is placed in the pocket 5, the operator may conveniently grasp the edge of the card to effect its removal from the pocket. At the upper and lower edges of the plate 6, converging guides 1 are provided, these serving to facilitate the insertion of the ledger cards in the pocket.

As disclosed in Fig. 3, the material from which the guides 1 are formed extends along the upper and lower edgesof the plate 6 for the full width thereof and is shaped to form channels 8 which serve to guide the ledger card after it has been initially inserted in the pocket. These channels is notched, the support 2 is provided with a bar 9 to engage the ledger cards and stop them in their means. of the recess I3, the flange on the plate being rounded and serving as a guide over' which the carbon paper may be trained to prevent injury in the movement thereof from the roll.

tangular opening formed therein. This plate also has the edge adjacent to the open side of the pocket folded over as at l l to serve as a stop and locating medium for statement sheets positioned in the device when it is to be used. Offset lugs l2 are also provided on the upper plate adjacent to the bar 9 to assist in holding the statement sheets in proper registration with a ledger card positioned in the pocket.

When the apparatus is to be used, a strip of carbon paper is placed across the opening in the upper plate before the statement sheet is put in place so that entries made on the statement sheets will be transferred to the ledger card disposed in the pocket 5. In order to avoid the necessity of handling the carbon paper before each operation, a roll of such paper is positioned in a recess l3 formed in the support 2 adjacent to the lower edge of the plate means. In this instance, the recess extends completely through the support so that the roll of carbon paper may be inserted from the under side, the open bottom of the recess being closed by a removable cover I4. A guard l5 extends over the upper side of the opening and this member is spaced from the edge portion of the plate means to permit the carbon paper to be withdrawn from the recess and passed over the upper surface of the plate A flange plate I6 is secured to one wall carbon paper is trained between a set of resilient rolls I8 and Mia. which serve to effect movement of the paper. l9 which has its ends journaled in bearing blocks mounted on the upper surface of the support 2. The rollers i8 are carried by a shaft 2| supported at the upper ends of metallic strips 22.

These members extend through openings 23 formed inthe member 2 and are connected at their lower ends with spring strips 24 anchored to the under surface of the member 2 by screws 25. A crank shaft 26 is journale'd on the under side of the body 2 and extends between the upper surface of the spring strips 24 and the under surface of the body, the cranks on the shaft being disposed in registration with the strips 24. When the shaft 26 is rotated through the manipulation of a handle extension 21 provided thereon, the

cranks will cause the strips 24 to flex downwardly and draw with them the members 22. Since the rolls l8 are supported by the latter members, the rolls [8 will move away from the rolls l8a, so that the carbon paper may be readily inserted therebetween. These rolls also may be so separated if it is desired to interrupt the operation of moving the carbon paper.

When the rolls [8 revolve, the carbon paper will be drawn over the plates. To effect rotating The rolls l8a are carried by a shaft 'the bearing blocks 29.

movement of the rolls, the shaft I9 is provided with a ratchet wheel 28 adjacent to one end thereof. An operating member 29 is disposed for engagement with the teeth 30 of the ratchet wheelto effect rotation thereof. The member 29 constitutes a metallic strip having the upper end bent as at 3| to provide shoulders. The lower end of the member 29 is connected with a flat spring 32, the latter being connected at one end, as at 33, to the support 2. Due to this mounting, the member 29 is capable of moving rearwardly on a somewhat arcuate path until the shoulder engages the ratchet wheel. Continued movement will then take place in a downward direction to cause rotation of the ratchet wheel. This rotation is in a counter-clockwise direction when the device is viewed from the right side as in Figs. 1,

'3 and 4. Rotation in the opposite direction is precluded by a brake member 34 which engages the ratchet on the side opposite that engaged by the member 29.

While the member 29 serves to move the ratchet, additional means must be provided to move the member 29. This means comprises a second shaft 35 which is also journaled for rotation in This second shaft has a finger extension 36 secured thereto in registration with the ratchet wheel and the member 29. When the shaft is rotated in a rearward direction or toward the upper edge of the support 2, the finger extension will engage the member 29 and impart movement thereto. This movement will cause the rotation of the shaft l 9 and the carbon paper moving operation as previously set forth. The movement of the shaft 35 after the finger extension has engaged the member 29, will only be sufficient to cause the ratchet wheel to rotate one notch. Thus the carbon paper will move over the plate means one line at a time and fresh unused carbon will be presented for each entry.

The shaft 35 is also provided with a wire bail 3! having a plurality of resilient gripper members 38 provided thereon. When the shaft is rotated toward the lower end of the support, the bail and gripping members will be moved downward into engagement with a statement sheet positioned on the upper surface of the plate means. To cause the bail and gripping members to exert a holding force on the statement sheet, one end of the shaft 35 has a laterally directed arm 39, the outer end of which is provided with a pin 49. This pin has one end of a tension type coil spring 4| secured thereto while the opposite end of the spring is engaged with a stationary anchor 42 carried by the support 2. The tension of the springwill serve to hold the gripping members in yieldable engagement with the statement sheet to prevent undesired movement thereof. After the entry has been made on the statement sheet, the grip members may be moved away therefrom to release the sheet by rotating the shaft 35 in a clockwise direction. This movement is facilitated through the use of a handle 43 extending from the opposite end of the shaft 35.

It will thus be seen that when the paper gripping device is actuated to release a sheet held thereby, the finger extension 36 will engage the member 29 to effect movement of the ratchet wheel and the rolls l8. The carbon paper will therefore be adjusted upon each operation of the paper gripping means.

As shown in Fig. 5, the lateral extension on the shaft 35 moves from a position on one side of a plane passing through the axis of the shaft and the anchor 42 to a position on the opposite side under surface of the support 2.

While the apparatus may be modified in many respects, it is believed thatthe shape and combination of elements as shown provides as simple and compact record keeping device as could be provided with any other combination. The holding device will operate to accurately retain the sheets in record receiving position and when the holding device is released, the carbon paper moving mechanism will operate without requiring the operator.

said support, the space between the plates forming a pocket for the reception of a ledger card,

the uppermost plate having an opening through which impressions may be transferred to a ledger sheet-clamping position and arelatively elevated position of sheet release, a pair of feeding rolls carried by said base having frictional engagement with opposite surfaces of the transfer paper web card positioned in said pocket, carbon paper remeans for moving said carbon paper over said plate means, said means having a pair of rolls, and ratchet means engaged by said finger to impart movement to said rolls.

2. A record keeping appliance comprising a support, spaced superposed plate means provided on said support, the space between the plates forming'a pocket for the reception of a ledger card, the uppermost plate having an opening through which impressions may be transferred to a ledger card positioned in said pocket, carbon to move the latter linearly of and betweensaid record sheets, and motion-transmitting means actuated by the movement of said holder between its sheet-clamping and releasing positions to rotate said feeding rolls in a direction Withdrawing said web from said roll and advancing the same between said sheets. I

4. Apparatus for facilitating the entry of business records comprising a base, stationary guide devices mounted on said base for removably receiving a plurality of flat record-receiving sh'eets and to maintain the latter in relatively registering and superposed order, means provided on said base for the rotatable reception of a roll of transfer paper, and said guide devices being formed to receive between said record sheets in manifoldin relation a flat web of transfer paper withdrawn from said roll, a manually movable sheet clamping holder pivotally carried by said base, said holder being movable between a lowered sheetclamping position and a relatively elevated position of sheet-release, a pair of feeding rolls carried by said base frictionally engageable withopposite surfaces of the transfer paper web to move the latter linearly of and between said record sheets, motion-transmitting means actuated during movement of said holder between its sheetclamping and releasing positions to rotate said feeding rolls in a direction withdrawing said web from said roll and advancing the same between said sheets, and. manually operated mean for moving one of said feeding roll to a position free from engagement with said transfer paper web.

5. Apparatus for facilitating the entry of business records comprising a base, stationary guide 40 devices mounted'on said base for the removable paper receiving means on said support at one side of said plate means, carbon paper from said receiver being extended over said plate means during use of said appliance, sheet clamping means disposed adjacent to said plate means, means for a moving the carbon paper in step by step order roll of transfer paper and said guides being formed to receive between said record sheets in manifolding relation a fiat web of the transfer paper withdrawn from said roll, a manually operated sheetclamping holder pivotally carried by said base, said holder being movable between a lowered reception of a plurality of flat record-receiving sheets and to maintain the latter in relatively registering and superposed order, means carried by said base at one end of said guide devices for rotatably receiving a roll of transfer paper, said guide devices being formed to receive between said record sheets and in manifolding relation a fiat web of transfer paper withdrawn from said roll, a manually movable sheet-clamping holder pivotally carried by said base, said holder being movable between a lowered sheet-clamping position and a relatively elevated position of sheet release, a pair of feeding rolls carried by said base and normally'disposed in frictional engagement with opposite surfaces of the transfer paper web, said rolls being operative upon rotation thereof to move said web linearly of and between said record sheets, motion-transmitting means actuated by the movement of said holder between its sheetclamping and releasing positions to rotate said feeding rolls in a direction withdrawing said web from said roll and advancing the same between said sheets, and spring means cooperative with said holder for positively maintaining the same in its sheet-clamping and releasing positions.

6. Apparatus for facilitating the making of business records of the character defined in claim 3, in combination with a resilient support for one of said feeding rolls, said support normally serving to maintain said rolls in frictional contact with a paper web advanced therebetween- ALBERT o. WHITMER. 

